Tips for Google Summer of Code Student Applicants

Unfortunately, this list of suggestions comes too late for student applicants for GSoC 2007. Hopefully, Google will continue to have this annually and future students can gain some benefits from this.

As mentor and administrator for Coppermine Photo Gallery’s participation in GSoC 2007, I’ve noticed some things that students can do to improve their chances of getting accepted by an organization. This might not be universal for all orgs, but it should be helpful beyond Coppermine.

Do:

reply to mentor comments in a timely fashion. If you’re not reachable during the application process, it does not bode well for when we are in the project and need to communicate with you.

customize the application for the organization. Depending on the number of applicants the organization receives, you want to make your application stand out. A generic boilerplate “I like to code” application is less appealing than an application where the student shows thought and passion for the project and organization.

submit your application as early as you can. If you are among the first applicants, it makes it easier to stand out in the crowd. It’s better to have a high quality application later than a poor one earlier, but a great application submitted early simply stands out like a shining star. However, this isn’t applicable to all orgs since some might not review all applications until later on.